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Power hearing aids vs Cochlear Implant (no easy choice)

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@Baltazard yes I did get the N8 in January this year.

Do I like the N8?
Not really, my N8 still has goblins in it.
Mostly all streaming issues.
It can come in 20-30 seconds late on phone calls.
- this is very frustrating as my aided L ear is useless without the Ci.
It will just cut in and out on phone calls.
It cuts in and out when I turn my head.
It cuts out when I’m on the phone even if I hold my head still.

As all these problems are intermittent there’s not much Cochlear Aus will do about it.

Improvement in my hearing, not really as I had great hearing with my N7 to start with.

In reply to @Deaf_piper

Sorry to hear that. But maybe you like to hear that I am not too happy with my MedEL, too. E.g. The adapter to get direct streaming (Audiostream) is failing too often.

@Dani thats not good news. Does it mean a new adapter each time it fails? Or just tweaking it a bit? If you need to replace it when it fails that could be an expense you sure don’t need.

In my case one of the two adapters has to be replaced once a year. Thank godness in Germany I do not need to pay for it for myself. At least till now. But it always is annoying waiting for replacement each time and get it running again afterwards. Keep in mind that my vision is bad.

In reply to @anon33641277

I’m curious how it is determined that a cochlear implant will be successful? I have fluctuating sensioneural hearing loss. Both ears fluctuate but I’ve had very poor hearing in one ear most of my life and have only been dealing with fluctuating hearing in my “good ear” for the last 5 years or so. Have considered for my poorer ear but am concerned about what was raised in this post. Since I don’t know where along my hearing pathway things are going wrong how is that determined before a CI implant? Thanks!!!

Such tests are carried out by doctors and specialists. My story is clear - I was born deaf, I received hearing aids late, and my auditory memory is almost empty.

In reply to @ButchNH

@ButchNH said:

Since I don’t know where along my hearing pathway things are going wrong how is that determined before a CI implant? Thanks!!!

This is answered with a cochlear implant evaluation.
This evaluation only informs you about your hearing and medical status for a . You are not saying you will get one but are interested to know and understand more about it.

Can’t resist piling on. I have bilateral , got my first 20 years ago and the second 2 years ago. My speech recognition before the first implant was around 30%. Alas, I didn’t do lots of research before hand, or maybe not “alas”: it was more that I felt like I had nothing left (hearing wise) to worry about. Speech in noise? Ha! I didn’t even have speech in quiet.
Now, speech recognition in my “old” ear is about 94%, still only 60 in the newer one, but I’m finally trying deaf_piper’s advice and working on training at least an hour each day. So glad she said she kept it up for a year so I can have realistic expectations.

I’m sympathetic to those who fret about residual hearing, but I don’t really understand it - i never had enough hearing to perceive a loss. If your hearing is so bad that you qualify for a CI, you’ve already lost a lot.

To those who are struggling with a decision about whether to implant or not — if you have to struggle, maybe it’s not yet time for you. And try to let go of a need for guaranteed perfection. Remember that old saw about not letting the perfect get in the way of the good.

In reply to @Raudrive

My experience has been that other than routine pure tone testing, and word recognition none of the ’s or otologists that I’ve seen have been equiped or interested in doing any other testing that would provide me more of a diagnosis as to why my hearing fluctuates. The standard treatment offered is oral steroids or intertympatic injections. Once the the hearing loss was diagnosed hearing aids were recommended. Various speculative diagnosis have been offered including hydrops, menierres, vestibular migraine and such. My concern as I contemplating a and reading this thread is if the source of the loss is unknown…how is it determined a cohlear implant is going to help. What specific test will provide assurance that the pathway to the brain or the brain itself is going to be able recognize the stimulation from a CI?

What you have described is a typical ent or audiologist appointment.

Ask one of them for a reference to a evaluation. One of them should understand what you are asking and assist you into that direction.

If that doesn’t work get on the Internet and find one of the cochlear implant companies and ask them. Cochlear America, or MedEl. They will know who can help you in the area you live.

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